Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protective gear to be placed on the head, neck, and horns of cattle that are to be roped.
Description of the Related Art
A number of devices exist for protecting cattle from being injured during the process of roping them.
Until the advent of the protector described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,707, however, the available protective devices employed multiple straps and multiple pads, making them inconvenient to utilize.
The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,707, though, employs only a single strap 34.
Two side head pads 14, 16 are made of thick, soft padding material to lie along opposite sides of the head of the animal without impeding its vision.
Extension 18 projects from the upper rear of side head pad 14 in order to extend across the front of a first horn of the animal. Rear horn pad 22 overlaps a portion of side head pad 14 and also projects from the upper middle of side head pad 14 to extend across the rear of such first horn. In use, the free end of extension 18 and the free end of rear horn pad 22 overlap at the upper portion of the horn protector 10. A lower edge 40 of a bridging pad 42 overlies the juncture of extension 18 and side head pad 14 and extends upward therefrom with a first end attached to the rear horn pad 22 and a second end connected to extension 18.
Similarly, extension 20 projects from the upper rear of side head pad 16 in order to extend across the front of a second horn of the animal. Rear horn pad 24 overlaps a portion of side head pad 16 and also projects from the upper middle of side head pad 16 to extend across the rear of such second horn. In use, the free end of extension 20 and the free end of rear horn pad 24 overlap at the upper portion of the horn protector 10. A lower edge 44 of a bridging pad 46 overlies the juncture of extension 20 and side head pad 16 and extends upward therefrom with a first end attached to the rear horn pad 24 and a second end connected to extension 20. (In viewing FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,707 and reading the text in lines 12 through 26 of column 2, it is evident that rear horn pad 24 has not been correctly portrayed in FIG. 4.)
Each side head pad 14, 16; each rear horn pad 22, 24; each extension 18, 20 (as shown but not explicitly described); and each bridging pad 42, 46 is backed with a heavy webbing material “. . . that will give the pads a measure of rigidity and that will resist the abrasion of a rope . . . .”
A web loop keeper 58 extends along rear horn pad 22 near the end of rear horn pad 22; and a similar web loop keeper 60 extends along rear horn pad 24 near the end of rear horn pad 22.
Attached to the free end of extension 18 is a buckle 30; and connected to the free end of extension is a strap.
Lines 44 through 51 in column 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,707 explain that guides 62 and 64 “extend from close to the upper edges 66 and 68, respectively, of side head pads 14 and 16, respectively, to locations close to lower edges 70 and 72, respectively, of the side head pads 14 and 16. The guides 62 and 64 are also preferably made of durable web material and are sewn lengthwise along their opposite side edges to the side head pads.”
Lines 52 through 55 in column 5 continue, “Strap 34, connected to the end of extension 20, passes downwardly through guide 62, beneath side head pad 14 and upwardly through the guide 64. In this configuration the protector 10 is ready for installation on a steer 12.”